Al pastor tacos at Fuel City, brisket sandwiches at Buc-ee’s, chicken and biscuits at QuikTrip and baked-to-order pizzas at Casey’s—across the United States, whether it’s large chains or mom-and-pop convenience stores, retailers are taking their food offerings to new heights and everyone is looking to corner their share of the market.

“Differentiation is key to succeeding in today’s competitive market, and foodservice is one way to do that,” said Joe Klosterman, senior director of customer success, Boelter, a foodservice design and equipment company with headquarters in Wisconsin. “Today’s consumer is more educated on what quality looks like and they’re willing to wait a few more seconds or drive further to find it.”

Foodservice sales were up 9.3% in 2023 according to the NACS State of the Industry Report® of 2023 data, bringing the category to 26.9% of in-store sales. And not only is foodservice bringing in a greater number of sales, it’s also a profitable category, with margins averaging 51%.

While consumer demand is driving the category, it’s the new technologies, features and innovations in foodservice equipment that enable c-store operators to provide high-quality food and greater variety to their customers. Here’s a look at five trends in foodservice equipment that are allowing c-store operators to improve their offerings.

1. Connected Cooking with IoT

The Internet of Things (IoT) has come to the kitchen, and being able to connect appliances to software has many advantages.

Combi-ovens and high-speed ovens with connectivity capabilities can be programmed with recipes from remote locations, which helps ensure quality and consistency of food produced from one location to the next. This is especially important as more multi-store operators create brand identities and private label food programs.

The ability to push new menu items to multiple stores at one time also makes it easier to roll out limited time offers.

Connected cooking equipment also allows operators to analyze data from the ovens, giving insights into traffic and usage patterns to create more efficient staffing schedules. They can also stay on top of maintenance requirements and alerts, making sure tasks get done when needed or problems are repaired quickly. This not only helps reduce the risk of downtime but can help extend the life of the equipment. And when something does go wrong on a connected oven, service agents can see the error code before visiting the location and plan accordingly, so the equipment is back up and running with less downtime.

Connectivity isn’t the only way technology is being used to improve operations. Technologies such as Pitco’s SmartOIL Sensor (SOS) or Frymaster’s Filter Quick oil quality sensors, for example, take the guess work out of when to change the oil in fryers. In addition to alerting that its time to change the oil, the sensors provide automatic top off capabilities to minimize oil waste. Pitco also recently introduced the TorQ gas fryer which uses forced convection heating and continuous filtration to extend the life of the oil.

2. Improved Functionality

High-speed ovens have long been a fixture of c-stores, but new technologies have brought even greater cooking ability and quality to this category, allowing c-stores to create more high-quality made-to-order items at a faster clip.

• IBEX’s high-speed oven uses a combination of microwave and RF technology to improve the amount of control over energy going into the food product.
• TurboChef and Merrychef utilize impingement cooking, which blasts hot air through a jet plate to achieve uniform browning in high-speed ovens.
• Rational recently introduced the iHexagon, which uses convection, microwave and steam settings. A smart system adjusts the parameters according to the food being cooked, allowing for optimum speed without drying food out.

Good holding equipment allows operators the ability to batch cook without having to hire more staff for busy times of the day. CookTek’s Crisp ’N Hold and Merco’s CrispyMax offer new holding options that keep food fresh and crisp. They produce a curtain of air which flows over the food to keep it at safe temperatures while reducing moisture loss.

On the beverage side, products that can help ensure quality will lead to less waste. “Drink pour outs are incredibly expensive for c-store operators,” said Michelle Fronsee, senior vice president of business development-retail convenience, Middleby Corporation. “A customer will fill up a full 32-ounce cup, take a sip, and if it isn’t to their taste they’ll pour it out.”

A product like Newton’s Constant Flow Valve (CFV) replaces ceramics, which had limited flexibility. It can be installed on new and existing equipment to provide a consistent ratio and output pressure on both carbonated and frozen beverage dispensers.

3. User-Friendly Interfaces

Whether it’s fryers, combi-ovens or holding cabinets, much of today’s equipment features touch-screen panels which take the guesswork out of food production. Operators can program in recipes, including time, temperature and alerts to stir or flip products, and items are easily cooked to perfection with the touch of a button. For operators with multiple locations, touch-button cooking menus ensure consistency from one store to the next.

In addition to programming recipes and cooking methods, these automated control panels also alert operators when it’s time to clean equipment or perform regular maintenance. It can also display service codes if something goes down in the equipment. Regular reminders help ensure the equipment works at peak efficiency and reduces downtime.

One of the newer trends in control panels is the ability to upload pictures or icons to accompany the pre-set menus. “User interfaces with pictures [make it] easy to train [employees], which is beneficial in operations where there’s high employee turnover,” said Mark Richardson, vice president and managing director of kitchen, Welbilt.

4. Solutions for Small Kitchens

Most c-stores don’t have the luxury of designing kitchens in large spaces. Manufacturers have risen to the challenge, introducing smaller sizes of traditional equipment. Rational’s smallest combi-oven comes in at 2 x 2 x 2 feet, and this electric unit can be put anywhere in the kitchen.

“The benefit of a combi-oven is the flexibility, not only in types of cooking but because it can manage heat and dehumidification, so you can prepare food and then hold it in one unit,” said Stuart Schwadron, director of project management, Rational.

Ventless options also help improve flexibility and save space. Installing an exhaust hood can be costly—instead, ventless combi-ovens such as Alto-Shaam’s Combitherm send grease down a drain and don’t need a separate unit to condition the air. Many high-speed ovens also come with ventless options, and the small size makes it easy to put these on a countertop for quick pizza and sandwich prep.

“We’re starting to see more independent [retailers] adding foodservice programs to existing businesses,” Fronsee said. “For that market we’re catering toward having equipment that doesn’t take up a lot of space. We even did a promotion to show how to do a foodservice program with three pieces of equipment—a speed oven, an automatic coffee machine and an ice machine.”

5. Automation for Labor Savings

With labor an ever-present challenge, “One of the priorities at the moment, whether it’s food prep or production, is figuring out the least amount of steps needed in order to produce something high quality,” said Boelter’s Klosterman. He said the Robot Coupe processor is popular for prep, as it can chop, knead, grind, slice and grate, saving hours of manual labor.

Programmable features on combi-ovens and cook-and-hold ovens are another time saver, allowing operators to set recipes to cook for a certain amount of time and then automatically switch to holding, eliminating the need for someone to manually make the switch.

Some combi-ovens also come with self-cleaning options, which spray the interior with water jets. Keep in mind that for this option the equipment will need to be installed near a floor drain.

Automated coffee and espresso machines simplify the premium coffee process, allowing employees or customers themselves to create a variety of coffee drinks, including iced lattes and cappuccinos, without the need for a barista. Most also have a clean-in-place feature, which cuts down on maintenance time.

From making equipment more user-friendly to improving cooking quality, it’s easier than ever for convenience stores to up their game when it comes to foodservice offerings.

“Equipment has evolved to meet the demand for speed without sacrificing quality,” Klosterman said. Whatever you choose to implement, the latest equipment can help enhance your foodservice program.